Rep. Watson (D-Calif.) says that the problems of e-waste are of the United States’ doing and require solution by the United States as well. (0:44)

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) says that the U.S. must take a cue from Russia and China and have a more aggressive approach to oil (0:14).

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“If we let the world know that we’re going after every drop that we can responsibly gather, and let the world know that we are going to be the least reliant country in the world on oil…we would send a ripple throughout the world,” said Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) during a telephone conference on energy independence and national security.

“We wouldn’t need to be at the mercy of other people. It wouldn’t impact our foreign policy decisions as it does today.”

Voinovich made the case that the combination of the country’s debt and reliance on foreign oil received from hostile nations has created a security concern that neither presidential candidate has properly addressed.

“The problem that they’re not talking about is that 51 percent of the debt is owned by foreign countries…70% of it is being bought by the Chinese, the Japanese, and the OPEC nations.”

Voinovich likened the situation to a business whose competitors have a supply that’s in demand and control of their debt. He said that under those circumstances it was doubtful it would be in business much longer.

John Nichols, reporter for “The Nation”, speaks with Talk Radio News Service reporter Elia Herman at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. Nichols talks about the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down the Washington DC handgun ban and its role in the election.

 

 After 8 years of George Bush: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) says there is a global race for oil that America is currently losing. He also says that with nations like China which require more oil are driving up the price. Neugebauer continued by saying that China will surpass the US as the largest manufacturing country in the world in several months. He concludes by saying that in order for America to keep its “greatness”, Congress must act, and that it is ludicrous for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to continue her book tour (:55).

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

T. Kumar, Advocacy Director for Asia and Pacific for Amnesty International of the United States, names the extreme human rights violations in China and insists that China accepted the Olympic Games bid with a self-imposed promise: To improve human rights abuses. But Kumar claims that the situation has deteriorated.(0:57)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

As a test of his presidential legacy, President Bush needs to address the human rights violation in China on his visit to the Beijing Olympic Games, said T. Kumar, Advocacy Director for Asia and Pacific for Amnesty International of the United States, especially because, on its own accord, the Chinese government promised to improve its human rights treatment. (more…)

Adam Segal, co-author of a an article published in the Foreign Affairs Journal, says that the installation of microphones in taxi cabs in China is not a form of repression, but rather a way to monitor for protests (:32).

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

“My hope is for some enlightened leader at the top within China to bring reform about,” said Elizabeth Economy, a writer for Foreign Affairs. She and Adam Segal spoke with Gideon Rose, the managing editor of Foreign Affairs Journal, about an article they co-wrote which argues that the Olympics have become a staging ground for domestic and international protests against China’s record on human rights, the environment, and even food safety. They also discussed the likelihood that the Olympic games will bring about change within China.

Economy said that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were supposed to be a coming out party for China, allowing it to open its doors to the world. However, she said, the Games have not been the transformative event the nation had hoped for, with rising criticism of its smoggy cities, restrictions on internet use, and infrastructure requirements.

Segal gave the example of Chinese taxis that have been equipped with microphones. He said that while some believe the instruments were installed to spy on people and repress them, he agreed with the government’s statement that the microphones were put in place to control dangerous protests. Events like these have drawn immense global criticism, according to Segal.

Both Segal and Economy stated expectations of reform within the nation as a result of the games, and hope that the change would come from within the government itself.

Charles Freeman, an expert in China Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says that the Olympic Games in Beijing will bring anxiety to Americans as Chinese athletes begin to win more gold medals. He says that for many this will symbolize the rising power of China in relation to the United States (:32).

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download